Comment from Paul Asel, managing Partner, NGP Capital
Category: Comment
The world after the crisis is the world before the crisis – or is it?
Comment from Uli Grabenwater, head of venture capital and ITI investments, European Investment Fund
Making the full potential of 5G a reality
Comment from Alexandre Arantes Villela, managing director, Qualcomm Ventures Latin America
Community matters
CVC in the time of coronavirus
Venture leaders step up
April 2020 issue editorial by James Mawson, editor in chief, Global Corporate Venturing
SoftBank’s loss masks Naspers/Prosus’ gain
Anyone glancing at Japan-listed internet conglomerate SoftBank’s share price six months ago and today would see relatively little change between the start and end dates.
Analysis: Corporates take Podium for $125m round
Corporates Recruit and Alphabet have backed the series C round of Podium, which reportedly valued the customer engagement platform at about $1.5bn. This is one of the most notable deals in the digital marketing and adtech space, which has seen consistent corporate-backed deal flow in the past decade.
Leaning in to innovation
It has been interesting to be working closely with management experts Boston Consulting Group (BCG) ahead of its forthcoming series of reports on corporate venturing, one to be published at our Global Corporate Venturing Digital Forum on 3-4 June, about how their models estimate likely economic impacts in such uncertain times and what the implications are for different sectors.
CVC in the Time of Coronavirus: Jason Miles, VFS Innovation Ventures
Although newly formed, Volvo Financial Services’ strategic investment arm is optimstic about the potential of mature technologies meeting more inviting valuations.
Venture needs to tread carefully in the geopolitical world
Twenty years ago Malcom Gladwell wrote a perceptive essay for the New Yorker magazine on why some people choke and others panic, and how these different responses tended to manifest.
Learning lessons on state bailouts
My heart goes out to the business owners and founders who have seen the rug pulled out from under them with this lock-down. Caveat emptor, however, is a useful reminder for governments thinking of bailing out ropey venture-backed portfolio companies especially when banks are chomping at the bit to lend to some of these companies instead.
CVC in the Time of Coronavirus: Dai Watanabe, Delight Ventures
Although the pandemic will represent a damaging shock, Watanabe believes it may eventually be beneficial for Japan’s startup space.
Apple bites into NextVR as ‘big uglies’ make their move
Apple has reportedly bought NextVR, a US-based virtual reality broadcasting technology developer backed by a host of corporate venturing units, for about $100m.
Editorial: The solution is in our hands
It is always worth listening to Josh Lerner, professor at Harvard Business School when he emails: “If innovation is going to happen, it is going to need to be the entrepreneurial firms that do it.” Smart asset managers, such as Ray Dalio, who set up the $150bn Bridgewater Associates and sets out his admirably clear… Continue reading Editorial: The solution is in our hands